Five employees of Sputnik Azerbaijan were released on their own recognizance

Five employees of Sputnik Azerbaijan were released on their own recognizance. This was reported on Thursday, July 3, in the Telegram channel Sputnik Near Abroad.

"All five employees of Sputnik Azerbaijan with the citizenship of the republic were released on their own recognizance," the media report said.

The Russian consul also met with Igor Kartavykh, head of the editorial board of Sputnik Azerbaijan, and Evgeny Belousov, editor-in-chief. It is emphasized that they are provided with medicines and food and feel as normal as possible.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Izvestia that consular staff had agreed on access to 13 Russian citizens detained in Azerbaijan.

Causes and investigations: what is happening in relations between Moscow and Baku

And who benefits from rocking them?

On June 30, Azerbaijani security forces conducted an operation in the office of Sputnik Azerbaijan. Later, it was reported about the detention of two Russian journalists — Igor Kartavykh, the head of the agency's editorial office, and Evgeny Belousov, the editor-in-chief. Then it became known that eight more Russian citizens were detained in Baku. They were arrested for four months.

Zakharova said on July 2 that Moscow was calling on Baku to take measures to return the countries' relations to the level of strategic alliance. She added that all issues should be resolved in a partnership manner, using diplomatic channels.